CMLL held a press conference to talk upcoming major shows. It was a short press conference by CMLL standards, around 45 minutes, and it’s all on YouTube.
Everyone knew what the big matches would be going in, and this was more about assigning them to dates. the two big shows are on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, both Sundays.
12/25 will be called “Infierno en el Ring”, and will hold a women’s cage match. Six masked women (La Jarochita, Sanely, La Vaquerita, Princesa Sugehit, Zeuxis and Metalica) will put their masks on the line, and four unmasked women (Marcela, Estrellita, Dalys and Amapola) will put their hair up. The longest segment of the press conference was each woman talking about the match and then signing the contract, and many took the time to complain this wasn’t a one on one match (more in that they wanted their rivals than being critical of CMLL booking, but it did not come off well.)
It’s an unbalanced match, with 6 tecnicas and 4 rudas. It’s also missing those rudas who would’ve been “safe” choices for a loss, like Tiffany and Seductora. (Silueta, who hasn’t been around DF in a couple months, RT-ed a comment complaining about her and others not being included.) The timing of this match, combined with WWE signing people who tried out the same time as Zeuxis, continues to point to the ruda as the loser of this match. It’s not a lock, there are a few women who absolutely in this match who absolutely shouldn’t lose in this sort of match. Someone like Vaquerita, who seem to have no hope of even getting a singles feud, could just as sensible lose. It’d also be disappointing if the best CMLL luchadora at the moment lost her mask in a cage match instead of going out on a one on one match, but CMLL believes the idea of a cage and a multiperson match itself is a draw regardless of who’s in it. I think it’s likely Zeuxis, but I’m holding a little hope it’s something else.
The rest of the card is the normal card you’d see on a Sunday
CMLL (SUN) 12/25/2016 Arena México
1) Astral & Shockercito vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pierrothito
2) Drone, Johnny Idol, Star Jr. vs Boby Z, Vangellys, Virus
3) Stuka Jr., Titán, Valiente vs Gran Guerrero, Rey Bucanero, Terrible
4) Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Felino, Negro Casas
5) La Jarochita vs Sanely, La Vaquerita, Princesa Sugehit, Marcela, Estrellita, Zeuxis, Dalys, Amapola, Metálica [cage, mask, hair]
The card is going to draw or not draw based on the main event. This show has the misfortune of going up against the LigaMX final. It’s CMLL’s choice. They could’ve just moved it to a Friday or a Tuesday if they thought it would do better. Instead, they’re just not giving the match any support. It doesn’t appear to be simply a response to the football game, the next week’s card is just about the same.
The opener would be Pierrothito’s first match in CMLL since September.
The press conference closed with Maximo and Máscara Año 2000 signing their hair match.
CMLL (SUN) 01/01/2017 Arena México
1) Astral, Stukita, Último Dragóncito vs Demus 3:16, Mercurio, Pierrothito
2) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Bobby Z, Pólvora, Ripper
3) Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Stuka Jr. vs Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
4) Carístico, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Ephesto, Hechicero, Mephisto
5) Máximo vs Máscara Año 2000 [hair]
Again, a normal card. At least one reknown lucha expert thinks Mascara is winning. That would be a silly self-defeating move to have a guy at the end of his career to beat a regular core member of CMLL, but Ephesto just beat Guerrero Maya so I can’t rule it out. CMLL, for reasons unclear, sure seems to be booking it’s veterans strong and has seen a lot more in Mascara 2000 than anyone else. It would be a bad idea for him to win, because most any other full time wrestler would’ve got more mileage out of beating Maximo, but we can’t rule it out.
Atlantis could be feuding with Peste Negra on this card, or CMLL could’ve just been very repetitive.
Sunday shows usually aren’t taped or aired anywhere. CMLL did tape/air the shows for the UG/Elgin match and the Dia Los Muertos. Neither card looks very interesting to me, but both cards seem as important as those shows they aired. So far, there’s no mention of these shows airing, for free or otherwise.
These were the only cards announced. The Friday night cards on 12/23 and 12/30 might have big matches too. There was no hint of Caristico and Ultimo Guerrero. They seem headed for a singles match, maybe even another title match, but it can’t be bigger than that. No matter what Caristico says, they’d have them out in front of the press if a mask/hair match was happening. Even if it’s not, it still seems like a big mistake not to advertise what match those two guys are doing right now – they’re bigger stars in the moment than anyone who was advertised for a match at this moment.
There was not a lot of other news. As anticipated, this Saturday Arena Coliseo show is the final show of the season, with the 12/24 & 12/31 shows canceled for holidays. CMLL mentioned the luchadors going to the FantasticaMania shows, and announced Yoshi Tatsu would be coming to CMLL on February 15th. That news drew great cheers from NJPW fans. Tatsu returned from neck injury earlier this year, and his matches and his wrestling style have been considered among the worst in the promotion. The hope would he makes a turnaround in Mexico, but they’re just happy to be rid of him in the short term.
There wasn’t an indication of how long Tatsu will be in CMLL. February is the usual start period for NJPW trainees and there’s not one in Mexico at the moment. Tatsu is way too old to be a trainee (and probably had enough of doing that in NXT while part of WWE), but it might indicate a longer stay.